Organization of tools is a primary determinant of the efficiency with which the tools may be used for various job functions. For efficient use, tools should be arranged to be visible, accessible, and consistently positioned. Such an arrangement may enable tools to be deployed and returned quickly, and inventoried readily to identify missing tools. Additional efficiency may be achieved by positioning tools according to how the tools are used. For example, frequently used tools may be placed closer to a worker than tools that are less frequently used, and tools commonly used together or used in a particular order may be placed near one another and/or in sequence.
A “shadow board” provides a system for tool organization. The shadow board may include a tool-holding structure, such as a peg board configured to hold tools adjacent a work site using tool-holding brackets. The storage position of each type of tool may be defined by a shape marked on the board near each bracket, such as a tool outline or “shadow” that is painted on the board. The shape provides a shape-based marker of the tool's storage position. In addition, the use of shapes minimizes the amount of mental processing necessary to pair tools with their storage positions. Accordingly, each tool may be returned easily to its predetermined storage position after use, and missing tools may be rapidly identified by visual inspection of the board for markers lacking a corresponding tool.
Despite its popularity, the shadow board may be too inflexible for some applications, such as lean manufacturing. In lean manufacturing (for example, the Toyota Production System), production is configured to be highly responsive to demand. To meet varying demands, each worker may be required to switch quickly and efficiently between different projects, often using different sets of tools. Accordingly, a fixed arrangement of tools defined by a shadow board may not be optimal for working on each of these different projects. Additionally, a fixed shadow board is not optimal for process refinement or continuous improvement, two important elements of lean manufacturing.
The invention provides a system, including method, apparatus, components, and kits, for arrangement of tools in different marked reconfigurable configurations at a work station.